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The Massachusetts Clean Energy Internship Program helps prepare the next generation of clean energy workers by funding internships for students and recent graduates at Massachusetts clean energy and water innovation companies.

To participate in the program, students must attend, or have recently graduated within the past year from, a Massachusetts college or university, or they must be a Massachusetts resident, with proof of residency, who attended an out-of-state college or university. Students pursuing a master’s degree are eligible for this program, though Ph.D. candidates are not.

Enrollment for the fall 2017 session of the MassCEC Internship Program is currently open!

Step 1: Complete the online intern application, answering all required questions and uploading required documentation. You will then be visible in the student database and employers will be able to contact you.

Step 2: Respond to any employer communications you receive and reach out to employers you are interested in. Proactive students are by far the most likely to be placed into internships with host employers. The employer may contact you for a phone or in-person interview.

Step 3: If the employer wishes to take you on for the session, they will send you an offer letter to sign. You must return your signed offer letter to your employer, who will then submit it to MassCEC no later than the session deadline in order to have your funding reserved.

Funding is allocated on a first-come first-served basis to employers that register, perform eligibility checks, and submit all required materials to MassCEC. Funding will be allocated until it is exhausted or the submission deadline is met. MassCEC is not able to place interns once the available funding is fully reserved or after the submission deadline. Please take note of the important program dates below.

Interns are not allowed to sign non-compete agreements (see Question #11) with their Host Employers.

Deadline for employers to send signed offer letter submissions to MassCEC. Funding is allocated on a first-come first-served basis until funding is fully allocated or we have passed this date. We will not provide funding for offer letters submitted after this date.

Submit an application online. Once you have submitted your application you will then be visible in the student database and employers will be able to contact you. You must have a profile on this database for employers to confirm your eligibility with MassCEC for this program.

Respond to any employer communications you receive and reach out to clean energy employers you are interested in working for.

A map of clean energy employers that have previously participated in our program can be found on the www.masscec.com/intern page under ‘background information’ to help in your outreach to companies.

If an employer is interested in hiring you, they will send your name to MassCEC for an eligibility check.

If you are eligible, the employer may contact you for a phone or in-person interview.

MassCEC will reach out to you if we need any additional information from you before your employer will be able to take any further steps with bringing you on for an internship. Please respond to any communication promptly so that we can confirm your eligibility for your potential employer.

If you are confirmed as eligible and the employer wishes to take you on for the session, they will send you an offer letter for you to sign. The offer letter must include your name, expected date range to be worked, and wage/hour. You must return your signed offer letter to your employer, who will then submit it to MassCEC no later than the session deadline of October 1st. We will not approve placement of any interns past this date.

Only after your signed offer letter has been received by MassCEC will we be able to officially reserve your funding for the session.

Please ensure information on the offer letter is accurate and you are not being asked to sign a non-compete agreement (Question #11).

Enjoy your Internship!

Be sure to take advantage of this opportunity by learning valuable skills on the job and by networking with others in the industry.

Fill out the student survey

MassCEC will provide you with a link to the student survey before the conclusion of the session. Please fill out the form, as it greatly assists in administering this program and making it as useful to you as possible. The information submitted on this survey is anonymous, and we do not ask for any identifying information.

PROSPECTIVE INTERN FAQS

1. What is the Massachusetts Clean Energy Internship Program?

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Internship Program is a workforce development initiative offered through MassCEC. The program focuses on enhancing the talent pipeline for Massachusetts employers engaged in the clean energy industry. The Massachusetts Clean Energy Internship Program facilitates the placement of students and recent graduates who are considering career opportunities in clean energy through paid internships across the state. Consistent with MassCEC’s role as a catalyst in growing the talent needed by the clean energy industry, the internship program is designed to provide students and employers with the tools to connect, and MassCEC reimburses eligible employers for intern stipends.

2. What are the objectives of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Internship Program?

The objectives of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Internship Program are to:

Provide the clean energy community with a talented pool of young professionals

Enable students to gain significant career opportunities in a challenging economic environment

Enable clean energy employers to mentor students and provide internship opportunities across a broad spectrum of student backgrounds

Support the need for greater diversity in our clean energy workforce

Provide a peer network of students interested in working in clean energy

3. How does the program work?

Students looking for an internship in the clean energy industry are required to complete an online application that includes a resume, transcripts, and supporting eligibility documents (more fully discussed in Question 5). Students are asked to identify their academic background and the industry subsector in which they would prefer to intern. Employers looking to host interns review these applications and select candidates with the qualifications that are most suited to their needs. Internships are required to take place over a particular session on a full or part-time basis. Host Employers must provide a meaningful internship opportunity and a mentor for each intern. Upon completion of the internship, eligible employers will request a reimbursement from MassCEC for the stipend paid to the intern.

4. When will the Massachusetts Clean Energy Internship Program begin accepting intern applications for the next session and how do prospective interns apply?

The program will begin accepting intern applications through its website on August 1st, 2017. Applications will only be accepted online, and must include (in PDF format) an uploaded resume, transcripts, and supporting eligibility documents (to be emailed separately to internships@masscec.com, if applicable).

There is no formal deadline for applications, but students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to increase their chances of being matched with a Host Employer. Once all internship positions have been filled, notice will be posted on the www.masscec.com/intern website indicating that funding is no longer available.

5. What are the eligibility requirements for prospective interns?

Students will be required to meet the following eligibility requirements:

Must attend, or have attended:

A college or university located in Massachusetts, or

A college or university outside of Massachusetts, if the student is a Massachusetts resident and is able to present proof of residency

Eligible students must meet one of the following:

Students must have completed or will complete at least their freshman year of college the semester before the internship (24 Credits), or have graduated within the past year. Your year of graduation must be 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, or 2020.

If a student attends or attended a community college (or 2‐year associate program), the student must have completed at least 24 credits by December 31, 2016. If a student has attended a training program, that program must have been completed between December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2016.

Graduate students must have completed or will complete a Master's Degree program in or after 2016.

Some students are not eligible to participate in this program:

Law School students, Ph. D. candidates, or students who have been previously enrolled or matriculated in a Ph.D. or Ed.D. program, are not eligible to participate in the program.

Host Employers cannot hire the same intern(s) for sequential sessions. You will not be able to participate in this program with the same Host Employer for two sessions in a row.

MassCEC does not fund existing interns that have been on payroll for greater than 12-weeks within the current calendar year at a Host Employer prior to the session’s start date. Current or previously terminated non-internship full or part-time employees of the Host Employer are ineligible to participate in this program with that employer. Any intern participating in the Internship Program must be approved before work can be carried out under the program.

6. How do I increase my chances of being selected for an internship?

While it is ultimately up to the employer to decide on who they would like to work with them in a given session, employer feedback has indicated that proactive and detail-oriented students overwhelmingly end up being the ones to receive internships through this program. It is suggested that you:

Ensure all of your submitted information in your application is accurate and up-to-date.

Respond quickly to any communication received from interested employers or MassCEC staff.

Reach out to clean energy employers in your area to let them know about the internship program and also express your interest in interning for them over a session.

7. Will prospective interns know which employers are reviewing their applications?

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Internship Program is set up so employers can review the database and hand-select the students that they would like to interview. MassCEC is not involved with selecting interns for employers. This means that you will receive communication about your application only from an employer when an employer selects you for an interview. You will only receive communication from MassCEC in the event that further documentation is required in order to confirm your eligibility for participation in this program.

8. How many interns will be selected?

The final number of interns will be determined by successful matches between the Host Employers and applicants. MassCEC is able to support stipends for approximately 150 interns at Host Employers for this session. Stipend subsidies for employers from MassCEC are available on a first-come, first-served basis until MassCEC has committed the funds allocated to the program. After total allocation of funds, employers may still access the database of candidates and offer paid or unpaid internships at the employer’s discretion.

9. What paperwork is required for a student to participate?

Interns that attendeed) a Massachusetts college or university will be required to submit documentation that verifies enrollment and residency. Interns that attend(ed) out‐of‐state institutions must submit a copy of an enrollment letter from their respective college or university, and supporting documents proving Massachusetts residency. Employers may require further documentation.

10. What is the intern stipend and how will interns be paid?

Interns will be hired and paid directly by the Host Employer. The pay rate should be established prior to accepting the internship offer. Employers are expected to pay their interns on a schedule that was previously explained and agreed to by the intern. Please be aware that Host Employers may pay an intern(s) more than the subsidy rate, however, MassCEC will only reimburse up to the full award amount.Employers are not allowed to pay an intern less than fifteen dollars ($15.00) per hour. Please be sure you are aware and agree to the terms of the internship before starting any work.

11. My employer wants me to sign a non-compete agreement. What should I do?

It is MassCEC policy that no intern participating in the Internship Program is allowed to sign a non-compete agreement. Signing a non-compete agreement may compromise your ability to work in this industry after completion of your internship. Any employer that asks you to sign a non-compete agreement should be reported to MassCEC by emailing internships@masscec.com.

If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to email the Workforce Development team at internships@masscec.com. Someone will respond to your question as quickly as possible.

Since its inception in 2011, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Internship Program has placed hundreds of students and recent graduates at clean energy companies across the Commonwealth, with dozens of those interns going on to receive full-time job opportunities at their host companies.

The program helps provide Massachusetts clean energy businesses with a talented pool of young professionals, with MassCEC providing stipends for interns during fall, spring and summer sessions.

Training and workforce development: Provide Massachusetts clean energy businesses with a skilled pool of young professionals and introduce clean energy career experiences to people entering the workforce, helping to retain talent within the Commonwealth.

Key Metrics and Results:

“During fiscal year 2017, the program allocated $2.35 million in wage reimbursements for 559 student interns at 198 companies. Since its launch in 2011, the program has allocated $10.1 million to place 2,358 interns at 361 companies, and 409 interns have received full or part-time jobs at their host companies as a result of their internship.”